Albin, 19 years.

Today is my baby brothers birthday, so I just wanted to give him a shout out for that since I can't really give him anything today.

So...

Happy birthday bro!

A week

Right now I am kind of sick being here, because you can't trust anything, really. And it is very tiring I can assure you all! I saw my face for the first time in a week, I kind of looked like a zombie.

Speaking about a week... I haven't had an actual shower. I'm growing rastas here, no kidding.

Also I am leaving SA in one week, London here I come. It's been a great adventure and a life changing one and I know for sure this wasn't my last time here. I promise you could spend a lifetime here and still not see it all.

Back

I am back in La Paz. I though I was suppose to stay in Uyuni for the rest of my life! Just wow, I have to say it again; you never know anything as a backpacker.

So how did I get back? you may ask yourself.

Well, I'll tell you how. By car. A car that cost me like twice my daily budget and was suppose to take 10 hours but ended up taking like 15 because the driver drove really really slowly. Like 20 km per hour. And there was an actual river we had to cross.

But I guess it was worth it, Salar de Uyuni-tour was amazing, but the town itself was an armpit! No regrets though. I might even go down the street to have a tattoo, that how much this trip has made an impression on me. And also I found a really cool symbol too!

So yes, I am back at the Wild Rover. I will probably change hostel because this one is a quite expensive one, and I've heard about this one which cost almost half the price and is quite good.

It is 7 am and the room they gave me stinks! Literally stinks. I can't even go in there again, so I'm here by the computor waiting for breakfast which I think is at 8 am.

I love this.

I just realized that I only have one week left on South America. Wow, the time goes by. This week eill be hectic for sure. And I don't think I dare go to the Pampas, because I've heard the roads to go there are even worse then here. But we'll see.

Other than that I had a dream tonight. Nothing special, but I just want so say I miss you mom.

In one way I am kind of stoked to leave SA, the second chapter of my travel is about to begin and like with this part, I have no idea of how it will turn out to be and where I will go. The only thing I do know is that I'll start of in LA (after London) and finish in NY. That's it. Now I need to have breakfast before I jump in the bus.

But one thing I have to tell you. You don't know how spoiled you are back home. Here there's almost no running water. I haven't had a shower since, eh, Monday I think (today it's Saturday). And when using the toilets you have to have your own paper, because that's nothing that you get here for free. And also, usually you have to get a can of water that you throw into the toilets, because as I said, no running water. And then you can also look in the stars washing your hands afterwards...


I love this.

Salar de Uyuni tour

So here you have it all in detail.

First of all, I had the best group of people I could get I think. One guy from England, one girl from Switzerland, a couple from Canada and one guy from the States but living in Canada.

We started off going to a cementary for trains from 1890, it was cool an we felt like children on a playground climbing on all the broken and rusty trains.

After that we went to the salt flats, which was incredible. Salt wherever you looked. We went to this small village made in salt where you could buy things made in salt. Salt salt salt.

Out on the salt flats we went to this island called Isla de Pescada, Fish island. It looked like a fish from distance with the reflections in the salt. Anyways, the island could also have been calles cactus island. So many cactuses! The talles one were about 12 m and 3 cm tell and about 1200 years old. The island used to have inka people living on it, so we could see some caves and things where they used to live. Cool.

Then we were off to the hotel we were suppose to stay in for the night. All in a sudden it started to rain, heavy. Everything turned white and we had to stop for a while. We were lost. So we took up all of our cookies and started to eat. But in a while we could go on.

So we stayed in a salt hotel, with salt beds and yeah.. it was cool.

Day two we woke up at 6 am. It had been raining all night long and it was soo cold, no kidding. The whols day was fun living hell, as you can say. We went to see some colored lakes and we saw flamengos. We also had the fortune to see some Lamas mating, even though the intercourse wasn't that much to see I have to admit.

Then we went to see "the Stone Tree". Basically a stone looking like a tree. But there was a lot of cliffs which we, once again, used like a playground.

I felt sick the whole day. And when we got to the second, very basic hotel, I went to sleep for two hours. When I woke up I joined the guys playing the game "Ass hole" and then I started to feel really bad. So I went and threw up, twice. So I didn't have that much for dinnner and I went to bed really early. On me I had two pair of pants, two t-shirts and a poncho and two pair of socks. On top of that, four blankets.

I told you it was cold.

Day tree we woke up at 4 am. Yes. Then we drove to some hot springs were we had breakfast. After eating we went into the hot springs and it was soo nice. Fortunately is was to become a beautiful day, so when the sun came up it wasn't that cold anymore. And I felt way better than the other day.

After that we went through Salvador Dali's dessert. We took some cool Dali pictures of melting clocks and elephants. Of course using what we had, our bodies. But I was really cool, almost a replica of his art. Or maybe I should say it's the other way around.

Then we drove to "the Green Lake" and then to the border to drop off one guy who was going to Chile. Then we drove about eight hours to get back to Uyuni.


Man, we've been sitting in a car almost the whole tour, but I have had soo much fun, and the scenary... just wow. There's no words that can ever make my experience any justice. And there's no pictures that can ever show you exactly what I've been seeing. All I can say is that it's totally worth going to Bolivia!

Uack

Salar de Uyuni tour was amazing in all ways possible!

I will give you a detailed history when I feel like it, probably tomorrow morning. Guess what, I am stuck here in Uyuni one more night. I was suppose to leave at 8 p.m. tonight but since the roads are really shitty from all the raining I'll have to wait until tomorrow 11 a.m.

In one way it's good because it's a bit cheaper here, but the town is really small and there's not much to do except for shopping, which I have already been doing too much of. The shitty part is that I have 10 days more in SA before I leave for London and assessment time. Ten days are a lot, usually, but since the buses here takes forever you loose a lot of time for nothing. So I will have to choose one of two things it's seems.

1. The Pampas tour
2. The hiking in Copacabana and the visit to the worlds highest lake "Lake Titicaca".

Yep, it's not easy.

Saltar de Uyuni tour

In 30 minutes am I going on this Salt flats expedition, I am stoked!

I lost my dear Primark sunglasses and my lovely Jurasic Park pen case on a bus on my way to La Paz. And because the sun out on the salt flats are way stronger because of the reflections, I had to buy a new pair today. So I picked the ugliest one I could find, they are pink. But I love them already.

Well, time to go back to the waterless hotel to check out and pic up my bags. So hasta en tres dias amigos.

too much fun

I just arrived in Uyuni. Like 4,5 hour late, so I've been on a bus for 15 hours, again.

The roads here is just horrible, and since it has been raining a lot, there're even worse. I thought the bus would tilt and fall over like 1300 times. And at 6.30 am today they woke us up. We had to get of and cross a river by foot because the buses were too heavy. So we did. And again. And again. It sure was an adventure going on that bus, and I kind of liked it. The landscapes here are just amazing! And I saw Lamas too!

I was suppose to go on a tour today, but since the bus were late I have to wait until tomorrow. I don't really mind. This deserted town seems really nice actually, and after this I will go looking for some food. My last meal was about 21 hours ago. Or no, I had a half sandwich and 2,5 bisquits and that's always something I guess. No kidding, I am starving!

Bird thing

I`m going south. If I could I would have done it today already, but since it has been some serious raining on the roads to Uyuni, there's only one company going there, and it was booked for today. So tomorrow I'll take the 12 hours night bus down there and then probably start touring first thing on Tuesday.

Then I am going back to La Paz, repacking my bag, and then heading north; to the Pampas. Jungle tour with piraya fishing, swimming with pink dolphins, night execution to see alligators etc.

After that, my time here in South America is more or less up. Unfortunately. I love it and will go back for sure. I'm missing out on Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela this time, so I have something to come back for. For sure.


Today there's this wrestling thing between local women. I don't know if I am going or not. I kind of have to save some money right now, and then I just heard that there's not even women fighting. We'll see.

blah

Today I didn't leave the hostel until it was time for dinner. Chinese; proper meal with drink and a soup to start with for 20 Bs. That's about 22 Svk.

Yesterday, as I said, was fun. Tonight I'm actually going to bed quite early, even though people are keep asking me to come out. Early = midnight or later. But it sure is fun here.

Tomorrow I will go to this local battle against women. I think that will be hilarious. Them I'm going to plan my last days here in Bolivia. Salt flats and Pampas, and some more partying I guess.

Now I've had it, good night!

fiesta

Yesterday was fun. It was 80`s night here at the hostel, everyone was dressing up and I thought I did great in my own clothes. And so did everyone else too. Free shots for everyone dressing up.. and since this is an Irish hostel, you can just imagine how things went here. Great fun!

Later we went out dancing. I just had a blast. Came home around 6 am, woke up 10 am
and felt perfectly fine. Then around noon, the last people started to drop in from last night out.

Today it's a birthday party here at the hostel, and obviously "a big nigh out" too. My budget, what can I say... I am starting to get a bit scared over here...

50

50 days of traveling my friends. Only 100 more to go. Time sure goes by fast when you're having fun!

Alive

So here you have me, in one piece. It sure was an amazing experience! I have a lot of pictures and some movies to show when I have the time to upload them. Until then... I can tell you that I have changed my mind again, about the jungle thing. I am not going to work. I don't have the time for it, since there is soooo much to do and see around here in Bolivia.

Tomorrow Stephan, a Dutch guy I met at the hostel, and I are going to go up really high; to an old town called El Alto. I'm going to take some amazing pictures I am sure, if the weather aloud me.

Then I am going for a 4 days tour to the salt flats in Uyuni.

And some hiking from Copacabana to Lake Titicaca.

Maybe some rafting as well.

As I said, so much to do...

Playing games with life

I am going down Death Road in a couple of hours. Reading and signing the paper yesterday kind of freaked me out. But you have to live while you can you know.

So if you wont hear from me, which is a chance, know that I love you.

But I'll be safe. I just needed to say this before, just in case you know.

Hmm, what more.

Yeah... I am STOKED!
Let us roll.

Brrrrr

La Paz is about 4000 meters above the sea. I think it is cold. I have actually had goosebumps since I came with the bus last night.

I think is can be something about lack of vitamins and not too much water in the last couple days. But then again, I am a person who gets cold easily.

I think I am going to have lunch and meet some new people.

This is an Irish hostel. That is all I have to say.

Cheers!

Hola

I have been traveling since Sunday, and I finally arrived in La Paz this night. I can't tell you how big this adventure has been. But I will give you a taste of it anyway.

So, I almost didn't make it to my bus when I was suppose to leave Iguazú, Argentina. The lady in the travel agency didn't want to give me my passport so I had to pay for the Iguazú adventure two times. But I took a taxi, crossed the Brazilian border and got on my bus to Campo Grande. That was a 13 hour busride.

In Campo Grande I bought a ticket to Corumbá. I aslo met these couple from Germany which I had an expensive lunch with. We came to Corumbà quite late, after 7 hours busride, so we had to check in to a nasty hotel. But I got to experience Carnaval after all, even though it was a small one.

I woke up at 7 the morning after, had a crapy breakfast and chatted with an alcoholic junkie who spent two month in a mental hospital in Italy. His name was Luis and he helped me alot! The second question he gave me was "Which is you favourite alcohol drink?" He was just lovely.

I said good bye to the couple and headed to the federal police station which apparently were closed. Then I met Percy from Peru with whom I followed to the Bolivian border to get my stamp. In the small town called Puerto Quijarro we bought our tickets to Santa Cruz and then we had to wait for like 6 hours for the bus to leave. I had my first Bolivian meal, a whole fish; with eyes and teeth and all... But is was really good!

On the bus we got stopped two times to get our passport checked. The second time they told Percy to get out of the bus, and after a while they came back just pointing at me. Then they took out all of my bags and talked really fast, so you can jut imagine how lost I felt. We were in the middle of nowhere and they took me inside this small dark room where the mosquitos just feasted on my blood.

Fortunately they let me go back on the bus. That was the last I saw from Percy.

But then I found Emma, from Scotland. She was even more confused and scared than I was. We continued together to Santa Cruz. That was also about a 12 hour long bus ride.

We got to Santa Cruz at 4 am, and the busdriver said that there was a lot of thieves out there, and I could just imagine. The lovely kind man let us sleep on the bus outside the busterminal for about 2,5 hours. Then we said good bye and headed for some toilets. We barely had the time to freshen up before we got on the next bus, that would take us to Cochabamba.

That was a nine hour bus ride into the jungle and over the mountains. Just amazingly beautiful! And since there's also Carnaval in Bolivia, people threw water, and colored water and foam, on the bus. That we also got to experience after the 9 hour bus ride. We found a bus qiuckly that would take us to La Paz, but you now, the buses here in Bolivia don't have toilets, so you need to take your chances when you have them. So we did, and got drenched. The locals had a blast throwing water balloons on us. And really hard! I got so mad I was crying and almost killed them with my berimbau.

But we got to La Paz, eventually, after 7 more hours. It was feaking cold, since we got there in the middle of the night. And we also had a problem finding a place to stay, since it was caranaval. But eventually we did. And we slept for about 3 hours, and now we're at the hostel we first wanted. The Wild Rover.

So yeah, I am alive and still living the dream. Today I had my first proper meal in tree days, and I can't tell you how good those scrambled eggs, yoghurt with granola and a coup of tea tasted.

So don't you dare tell me it's paradise I'm in, it's more like a fun living hell.

Bite my nails and hope I'll make it.

I think I might have a bit too much fun on my trip. My budget is not what I thought it would be at this time. I think (hope) I will be fine until it's time to go home, but I can not be sure of that. Let's hope my family will have mercy on my birthday in two months. Then it's going to be really fun, in Vegas.

This "Hostel Inn" I am staying in here in Iguazù were suppose to be like a giant pool party all day long. Yes, there's a giant pool but I am about to fall asleep here, and it's`not even midnight yet. Anyways. Tomorrow is an early one. We're going to the falls after breakfast. But I also need to figure out how to get my ass away from here. If I'm lucky I will have a nice two days busride ahead, starting tomorrow night.

Iguazù

I am in Iguazù. It`s great, and tomorrow I will take a tour into the falls. I think that will be amazing.

Ringht now I am starving and trying to figure out how to get to Bolivia as quickly and as cheap as possible. It is hard to get both, but I have to try. But now I am a bit stressed out because of that.

Soon it is time for a buffè for 20 pessos. All you can eat for that much. In swedish krona it`s about 40 kr. Amazing.

Now I need to be a bit more focused on the booking part, but everything is just fine!

Vamos!

We kind of slept over today. It's 1.19 p.m. now, we were suppose to go up at 10 a.m. for a big city walk. Well, it is still going to happen, like right now. I just have to kick my friend to the shower, he is what we call "sleepy".

Yesterday we stayed at home having a glass of wine and it got really late, so once again I fell asleep during our conversation. But is was really nice just to hang out at home, having dinner and talk. I still haven't got used to the Argentinian lifestyle, so for me to stay up until 7 a.m. is impossible.

I feels like my budget is about to blow soon. I hope it's just a feeling but in less then two months have I spent almost half of my budget. And I have 3,5 more months to go. Scary. But then again have I payed all of my tickets from Stockholm to Rio de Janero, from Salvador to Buenos Aires, from Bolivia to London, from London to LA and from NY to Stockholm, AND I bought a new camera. So I guess that speaks for itself. I feel much calmer.

Now it's time for a cold shower and then some serious sightseeing.

Muuah!

in the city of cursing

Buenos Aries is a great city, beautiful as hell. And big, seriously.

I got myself a new camera yesterday, so now I am complete again. There will also be some broadcasting going on.

Today we had breakfast on the balcony and then we just past out again, now it's 3 p.m. so we're going out to chill out in some parks and I am gonna do some shopping. I am just so tired of all my disgusting clothes, so yeah, I have a feeling I will come home broke.

Talking about my clothes though, today, 41 days after leaving home, is the first time I am actually washing them. Handwash it just a way to make your clothes less nasty, nut clean.

Cheers hijos de puta

Hola BA

I am in Buenos Aires. My friends "Macaco" came to pic my up from my two hours delayed flight last night. We went out having dinner at 1 a.m. and came back from a bar at 5 a.m. Normal here and actually kind of early, but I was so so so tired.

Today is a new day full of impressions. And I am getting myself a new camera for sure!

I´m a surviver

Yesterday was an amazing day. I woke up, went to rodan with two guys from the hostel.

At noon I had an appointment. It was about time for a brazilian wax. I was just laying there and almost didn´t feel anything, nice!

Then I went to the beach and met up with the guys I am hanging out with.

After that I took all of my money and went to Mercado Medelo. It is a really nice place and I got some really cool stuff with me from there!

Then I had to go to the bank, and so did the guys.

Then it was nap time before almost the whole hostel went to the beach playing socker and beach volley ball. After we all just sat down singing songs everyone new.

After that we cooked a tasty dinner before we went to a club where we were drining a lot and playing beer games.

We went to the beach when the club closed, sat down, chatted. Then one local after another started to show up and somehow they got my purse ith all my money, without anyone noticing it. Just wow, they are really good.


Since I got really pissed off and the locals didn´t get the fact that we didn´t want to hang out with them, everyone went back to the hostel. I played some pool with one of the guys from Australia and then went for a swim in the sunrise.


Now I am here, waiting for breakfast that starts in 45 minutes. My eyes are hurting like hell and I actually think an eye infection could be happening to me. I don´t even have cash to pay for the busride to the airport, but hey, I survive.

opa

I have two more days here in Brazil. Two days ago I kind of wanted to leave, now I don´t. I am having so much fun, and the guys I am hanging out with are just cool. The way of a traveller is like this, so I guess leaving when it´s the most fun is the way of travel. Then you will just end up having so many amazing memories.

Yesterday was kind of hard because of the camera situation, but after I cheered up everything is even better. Dance was dance, love. After I skipped capoeira class for the Capoera event. It wasn´t what I thought it would be and I was really tired because I hadn´t have anything to eat since breakfast.

The way back to the hostel I just spoked so much portuguese with the taxi driver, so when arriving at the hostel I had a big smile on my face. I had two really strong Capivodkas before we all left for a reggea club. We danced and had a really good time.

On the way back I felt like swiming. The group thought it was wierd to go swiming naked in the night. In Sweden we do it all the time I told them, which is true... it´s just something we do. But when a stranger came and told me how lucky he was to have the chance to swim beside a naked woman I really didn´t want to continue anymore...


Unfortunatley I am a very devoted person. Today the guys went to an island tour and I had to stay at home since if I would go I would miss my last dance class. So now I am going to the beach for a swim then capoeira, dance and capoeira again. Then I am going out with some guys from the capoeira group.

Cheers

Life of a backpacker

So today was an unhappy day. The only thing a backpacker really cares about, except from the passport, got stolen. My camera, with my 700 pictures.

I skiped hanging out with my friends on Praia do Flamengo. Instead I went out for a run in the sun. When I got back I took a shower with my clothes on, and still didn´t feel better. Then I just went to the hammock singing and drinking Guarana, the Happy Drink as my friends and I call it. Then some guys from Israel came and cheered me up. So cute.

Now I am just a normal happy girl again. It sure sucks, but I can´t really do anything about it now anyway. I will just buy a new one and be happy about the fact that I can walk around not being scared someone will take my camera from me.


And also one girl I hang out with got 700 R$ stolen from her today and one of the hot guys from Australia got his camera stolen on the festa de Yemanjá. Just the life of a backpacker i guess...

Boa noite

I am sorry for the lack of update the last few days. The internet here s-u-c-k-s and I share the computors with a whole bunch of backpackers that probably do the same as I do, so there you have it.

I don´t really know where to begin.

The hostel is cool. I´ve met a lot cool people, and a few not so cool. And since it´s like 20 meters to the ocean I spend some time there every day before I spend four hours training dance and capoeira.

I am still sick, or my voice still hasn´t recovered from the cold yet; The only thing that needs to be in shape in five weeks. But now I kind of have a Whisky-ish kind of sound, which is cool too. But I can´t really sing since my voice breaks all the time. But as I said, I still have five more weeks to get better again.

I spend my "spare time" with some girls from England and two just gorgeous PTs from Australia. You know like drawling hot, and really nice too!

Yesterday there was this festa called Yemanjá at Rio Vermelho (red river). It was really nice and really crowded. And I don´t even think that was somewhere near to what Carnaval is about. One part of me really wants to stay here longer, and one part are just craving for more. But I am leaving for Buenos Aires on Sunday, for sure.

My capoeira skills has improved quite a lot actually. I wouldn´t say I´m good, but a lot better! And I am enjoying it more and more, that´s one part why I want to stay here. And aslo because of the dance. I just love it. Love love love. And today my teacher said to me "I just love the way you dance, you could have a future in this". I meen wow! Oh and the style we dance is Afro dance from Salvador.

Speaking about improving... My portuguese has improved quite a lot too, which is fun. Just about 1,5 week ago I gave up and that´s when things started to happen. Again, I wouldn´t say I´m good, but I can actually kind of have a decent conversation. All this in 35 days my friends.

I am just so proud over myself in a way. I meen, most of you think I am living life in Paradise. Well, yes, I am... but Paradise is hell. You can never settle down and you always have to be open for changes. And changes happens a lot! More than I could ever imagin it would do. And nothing is like home. The transportation-system is soo bad, to buy food in the store is different, to figure out how to get from one city to another... nothing. I love it, and yes I am in Paradise. But Paradise is not as easy and relaxed as you may think.

It is time for bed.

Tomorrow I will have to buy my ticket to Buenos Aires. I am definitley going to the beach. Either with Rahel and some other guy called Indio from Sweden, or with the two girls and the hottest guys here right now. I think I´ll skip Capoeira class tomorrow to go to a Capoeira event that starts at the same time as practice do. But I don´t know. Oh and I agreed having a beer with a guy from the capoeira group; Lior 29. After that I will go to a reggae (how do you spell it?) club/bar with the guys from the hostel.

Well, there you have it.


Ps. I had my first Subway visit since I left LA. I kind of felt ready for that. I was not as good as I remember it. Some things I guess you should just don´t go back to, and instead just remember the good taste it once had.

Yes that´s a metaphor.
Good night!

Segunda-feira

Monday. The last week of hard training starts today in a couple of hours. I am still sick though, so I am gonna go to a farmacy to get me something, because I am still going to go to my classes!

This hostel is nice, even if I think most people prefer to have their own room. I still wake up at 7 am every morning and breakfast is served at 8 am.


The very hottest news came up last night. Peru is unfortunatley put on delay because of the mudwaves destroying all the roads. Yesterday the last perdon up there got evacuated, and now it´s going to take at least two months fixing the place. Unlucky me in other words.

On the bright side I decided that I will head south, to Argentina. This will happen Saturday night or Sunday morning, probably the later. But I am so excited because everyone I meet keeps saying they loved Argentina. So I guess lucky me after all...